Argentina posts primary fiscal deficit of 24.7 bln pesos in August

BUENOS AIRES, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Argentina posted a primary fiscal deficit of 24.7 billion pesos ($1.4 billion) in August, the Treasury Ministry said on Monday, up from a deficit of 22.1 billion pesos in July.

In presenting the 2018 budget to Congress on Friday, Treasury Minister Nicolas Dujovne said the government expects a primary fiscal deficit worth 4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) this year, down from 4.2 percent seen previously, and 3.2 percent next year.

In the first half of the year the deficit was 144.286 billion pesos, or 1.5 percent of GDP.

$1 = 17.32 billion Argentine pesos at the end of August
Reporting by Luc Cohen; editing by Diane Craft